Standards-based Assessing and Reporting

1
Standards-based Assessingand Reporting

• An explanation of grading student achievement in
  relation to standards for Stages 1 to 5

2
Grading Student Achievement (1)

• What is expected?
• How will it work?

3
Grading Student Achievement (2)

• Teachers
• collect assessment information on the achievement
  of each student
• use their professional judgement to decide which
  grade best matches the standards their students
  have achieved

4
Grading Student Achievement (3)

• The grading scale lets teachers report student
  academic achievements in terms of clear, common
  standards.

5
The Grade Scale
Grade or Word Grade or Word Grade Descriptions
A Outstanding The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.
B High The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.
C Sound The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.
D Basic The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.
E Limited The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.
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What are standards? (1)

• There are two aspects to standards
• These can be thought of in terms of
• what
• and
• how well

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What are standards? (2)

• The NSW syllabuses state what students at each
  stage are expected to learn.
• The grade scale summarises how well students
  achieve at each grade by describing
• the depth of knowledge and understanding
• and
• the range of skills
• that students working at that standard typically
  show

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How can I see the standards?

• The Board of Studies and sectors are working
  together to gather the work of real students who
  have done some syllabus-based tasks and
  activities.
• These work samples and other advice and support
  materials are published on the Boards Assessment
  Resource Centre website.

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The Assessment Resource Centre supports
assessing and reporting student achievement
relative to standards
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Assessment activities and graded samples of work
from real students are provided for each stage of
learning
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For each work sample the Grade Commentary
explains why the work is considered to be
representative of that standard.
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Grade Commentary Casey has shown a thorough
understanding of volume, capacity and 3D space
through labelled diagrams and numerical
expressions. This knowledge has been demonstrated
in visual form but Casey has not included a
written explanation. The factors of 24 have been
used to come up with other examples but these
have not been drawn. Although Casey has not
justified the reasoning, there is clear evidence
of understanding. This work sample demonstrates
characteristics of work typically produced by a
student performing at grade B standard.
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Work Samples (1)

• The collections of work samples provided for a
  grade, show the quality of work typically
  produced by students who will receive that grade
  at the end of the stage.

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Work Samples (2)

• The samples
• come from a range of schools.
• have been graded by teams of experienced,
  practicing teachers.

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Getting to know the standards (1)

• You become familiar with the standards by
  studying the
• descriptions for each grade
• tasks and activities
• work samples, and
• grade commentaries.

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Getting to know the standards (2)

• While reading, think of your experiences with
  students you have taught, who have produced work
  of a similar standard. This will give you a
  mental picture of the knowledge, skills and
  understanding represented by that grade.

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Getting to know the standards (3)

• Discussions with your colleagues may be helpful,
  particularly for
• New teachers
• Where a teacher is not experienced with that stage

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Choosing the right grade (1)

• Allocating grades requires teachers to use their
  on-balance judgement in relation to standards.
• This is a key professional skill.

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Choosing the right grade (2)

• An on-balance judgement does not just focus on a
  single piece of work.
• Teachers weigh up the assessment information
  collected for a student up to that point in time.
  
• This information will come from both formal
  assessment activities and informal observations
  and will be built up over time and in different
  situations.

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Using the grade scale (1)

• At any point, you can look at what your students
  have covered in the teaching/learning program and
  how well they have achieved.

21
Using the grade scale (2)

• This means that at any time you can
• Consider the knowledge and skills covered up to
  that point in time,
• compare each students achievement with the
  standards represented by each grade, and
• make an on-balance professional judgement and
  give the grade that best matches the standard the
  student has achieved.

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Important Messages

1. Using the grade scale
2. Monitoring student progress
3. Obtaining consistent teacher judgement
4. Reporting to Parents
5. Allocating grades for the School Certificate

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1. When using the grade scale (1)

• Remember, in a standards-based system
• A grade labels a standard not a student
• Students get the grade that best matches the
  standard of their achievement
• Teachers are not limited to set numbers of each
  grade within their class or school

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When using the grade scale (2)

• The full range of grades can be awarded at any
  point in the course or stage.
• Early in a course or stage students are NOT
  limited only to grades D and E.

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When using the grade scale (3)

• A student will receive a grade A if, in what has
  been taught up to that point, they have shown
• extensive knowledge and understanding of the
  content can readily apply this knowledge has a
  very high level of competence in the processes
  and skills and can apply these to new situations
• Always consider what has been covered so far, and
  how well the students have achieved.

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2. Making progress (1)

• If a student receives the same grade for two
  consecutive reports they have made progress.
• For example, if a student receives a Grade C in
  the middle of the year and again at the end of
  the year they will be making progress.

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Making progress (2)

• Between the two reporting periods the student
  will have learned new knowledge and skills of a
  more advanced nature. To receive a Grade C on the
  second occasion the student must have
• a sound knowledge and understanding of the main
  areas of content and has achieved an adequate
  level of competence in the processes and skills
• in relation to this new and more challenging
  material.

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3. Consistent teacher judgements (1)

• The consistency of judgements about grades
  within and between schools comes from
• following teaching programs based on common
  syllabuses
• using the common grade scale
• considering shared samples of student work
• discussions with colleagues

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4. Reporting to Parents (1)

• The grades that students receive are only one
  aspect of the report to parents and students.
• Grades need to be supported by
• teacher comments both written and verbal
• other information the school provides on the
  students achievements, activities, effort and
  application.

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Reporting to Parents (2)

• The school sector and/or school will provide
  details about the specific requirements and
  advice for assessing and reporting to parents

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5. Allocating Grades for the School Certificate
(1)

• The common A to E grade scale replaces the scale
  based on the General Performance Descriptors that
  has been used been used since 1991
• The Course Performance Descriptors developed for
  the new Years 7 10 syllabuses replace those
  used previously

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Allocating Grades for the School Certificate (2)

• To allocate grades for 100 or 200 hour SC courses
  teachers
• Become familiar with the standards by using the
  Course Performance Descriptors (based on the A to
  E grade scale) and the work samples provided in
  the ARC
• Use a similar approach to those already described
  to determine the most appropriate grade to
  allocate to each student

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Allocating Grades for the School Certificate (3)

• In Mathematics, three pathways, referred to as
  5.1, 5.2 and 5.3, have been identified in the
  Stage 5 syllabus to cater for the differing needs
  of students
• For the SC, the grades A to D are sub-divided in
  Mathematics so that teachers award the grade
• A10, A9, B8, B7, C6, C5, D4, D3 or E2
• that best represents the students achievement